Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-11-18
Edison. Improved Phouograph.

Edison, the inventor as reported by the
Scientific American, fully endorses the re
Gently published statements regarding his
improved phonograph. After reciting the
apparent objections TO his original device,
he unhesitatingly declares that he has now
overcome them all Eight months ago, he
says, he began laboratory work upon the
phonograph in execution of the improve
ments which he had been devising for ten
years, and stopped month ago because he
could see no further possible Improvement
1t is finished machine-simple, cheap, eff
fective, not liable to get out of order, and
it does everything that he ever hoped the
perfected phonograph might do.
His phonograph will occupy about as
much space on the merchants desk as a
typewriter does 1t will work automatic
ally by small electric motor, which runs
at a perfectly regular rate of speed, is
noiseess, and starts or stops at the touch
of a spring Suppose the merchant wishes
to write letter he pulls the mouthpiece
of the phonograph to him, starts the mo
tor with touch and says what he has to
say in an ordinary tone of voice. When
he is done he pulls out little sheet and
rolls it up for the mail. The recipient
places this sheet in a similar phonograph,
touches the motor spring and the instru-
ment at once reads the letter in tone
more distinct, clearer, more characteristic
of the voice of the writer than any tele-
phone can produce it, He has already
completed two of these monographs, work
ing equally well. and has now 800 under
construction. He has has perfected an ap-
paratus, as he says, which causes the pho
nographic message to be given out in sec
tons of two words each for the use of
printers, with repetition if desired. The
phonograph plate will record and repeat
any kind of musical sound and as the proc
ess of duplicating the phonogram, as he
call his sheet of metal which has passed
through the photograph and become I'M
pressed with certain sounds, is very cheap,
the phonogram copy of lecture, book,
a play or an opera need cost but trile.
With the two instruments already finish
ed he has reproduced the playing of an
orchestra so perfectly that each instrument
can be heard distinct from the rest ''you
can even tell the difference between two
pianos of different makes you can tell the
voice of one singer from another you can
get reproduction of an operate scene in
which the orchestra, the choruses and the
soloists will be as distinct and as satisfacto-
ry as opera in this sort of miniature can
ever be made. Opera by telephone has
been done III 1alls ana LONDON more OF
less successfully, but the phonograph will
eclipse the telephone for this purpose, and
photographic opera will cost nothing, be-
cause the phonogram can be passed through
the phonograph, if necessary, 1000 times in
succession, aud once the machine is bought
there is no other cost beyond the trihe for
phonogTams. For books the phonogram
will come in the shape of long roll wound
upon roller. To make the first phono-
graphic copy of book some good reader
must of course read it out TO the instru-
ment once that is done, duplication to
any number of thousand or million copies
is simple mechanical work, easy and
cheap We halt, at present, before his
conclusion that his perfected phonograph is
going to do more for the poor man than the
printing press has done but we shall not
be backward in acknowledging the extra
ordinary value and ingenuity of the inven-
ton when it has been publicly tested and
conclusively approved, If the confident
expectations of its designer are realized,
his honors will be assured and worldwide.